Job 17:8-16

8 Just men shall wonder on this thing; and an innocent shall be raised up against an hypocrite.

9 And a just man shall hold his way, and he shall add strength to clean hands. (The righteous shall hold to their way, and he who hath clean hands shall be made even stronger.)

10 Therefore all ye be turned again, and come ye; and I shall not find in you any wise man. (And so come now, let all of you try again; for thus far, I have not found a wise man among you.)

11 My days be passed; my thoughts be scattered, tormenting mine heart.

12 Those have turned the night into day; and again after darknesses hope (for) light. (They have turned the night into day; and then again after darkness, hope for some light.)

13 If I sustain, either suffer patiently, hell is mine house; and I have arrayed my bed in darknesses. (If I endure, Sheol, or the grave, shall be my house; and I shall array my bed in darkness.)

14 I said to rot (And I shall say to rot), Thou art my father; and to worms, Ye be my mother, and my sister.

15 Therefore where is now mine abiding? and who beholdeth my patience?

16 All my things shall go down into [the] deepest hell; guessest thou, whether rest shall be to me, namely there. (All my thoughts shall go down into Sheol; thinkest thou, that there shall be any rest for me there?)

Job 17:8-16 Meaning and Commentary

\\INTRODUCTION JOB 17\\

In this chapter Job not only enlarges upon the reason given in the
preceding chapter, why he was desirous of an advocate with God, and one
to plead his cause with him for him, Job 17:1; but adds other reasons
taken from the usage of his friends, from the impossibility of any but
a divine Person being his surety; and of anyone being provided and
appointed as such but by God himself; from the insufficiency of his
friends to judge of his cause, and from the condition and circumstances
he was in, Job 17:2-7; then he takes notice of the effects his present
case would have on good men, that though they might be astonished at
it, they would be filled with indignation against hypocrites, and would
not be moved and stumbled by his afflictions to apostatize from and
desert the good ways of God, Job 17:8,9; after which he addresses his
friends, and either calls upon them to renew the dispute with him, or
repent of their notions, and join with him in his sentiments,
Job 17:10; and lastly describes his state and circumstances, according
to his apprehension of things, observing the shortness of his life, and
the darkness of the dispensation he was under, through one thing and
another, Job 17:11,12; that he had nothing but the grave in view,
which, and its attendants, he had made very familiar with him,
Job 17:13,14; and that he had no hope of restoration to a better
condition, as to his outward circumstances, and that he, and his hopes
his friends would have him entertain, and they also, would go down
together to the grave, and there should lie in the dust, and rest
together till the morning of the resurrection, Job 17:15,16.